I had emergency back surgery this summer. It was unexpected since I have never had any back issues before. It turned out to be a slipped disk and stenosis. I am 9 weeks in recovery, and I am feeling fine. However, I realized I needed to make some changes.
I am a pretty active individual in my early 60s. I walk 4-7 miles a day, don't do any strength training, and sit ALL DAY, except for sporadic errands around campus.
This happened because I was not engaging my core in my so-called active lifestyle. The inactivity turned into gluteal amnesia, also called "dead butt syndrome," and eventually a slipped disk.
Please check out this article from the NYT to learn how to improve our engagement with our core in our daily activities.
If you have any questions, or want to share your own experience please feel free to reach out.